A Crossing of Unfortunate Events
by Settle4Perfection
Summary: A boy is visiting his friend in another town. In his absence, tragedy strikes, leaving him to start all over again in a new town.
1. Chapter 1

It was a warm summer morning in Prosperville. Rick walked outside and took a deep breath. He held deep pride that he had paid his debts to Tom Nook. He now lived in a large home which truly reflected the fruits of his labor. Sure, he ran into some suspicious types such as Redd and Lyle along the way, but he managed to pull it off.

Rick checked his mailbox for letters, "Bill… Bill… Happy Room Academy… Bill… What's this? A letter from Mindy?" Mindy was Rick's best friend. She lived in the nearby town of Sanctuary. As children, they were like peas in a pod. Rick opened the letter, it read:

_Dear Richard,  
Hiya there, Ricky! Congratulations on your debt completion! What do you plan to do with all that spare time now? Anyway, I'd like to invite you to Sanctuary to celebrate. Come hungry!  
Love, Mindy._

A grin stretched across Rick's face. He hadn't spoken to Mindy since he first moved to Prosperville. He fantasized of the wonderful time he would have with Mindy. He rushed inside and put on his forest camo shirt before darting right back out. It was only a short walk to the town gates, but he just couldn't wait. The wind rushed through his short, brown hair as the town flag came into sight.  
"You're up bright and early, very commendable!" commented Copper as Rick came to a halt inside the gate.  
"I'm going to Sanctuary," replied Rick.  
"I see, I shall open the gates at once!"  
"Thanks."  
Rick's face was illuminated as the freshly risen sun peered through the parting gates. He darted out into the wilderness. Remembering vividly the path to Sanctuary.

Meanwhile, in Sanctuary, Mindy brushed her long, blond hair. She smiled, hoping Rick had received her letter. She departed her home, anxious to spend the day with Rick. She awaited him at the gates.  
They burst open as Rick stepped in. He smiled, knowing his best friend stood in front of him. "Mindy!" shouted Rick as he hugged his friend whom he hadn't seen in nearly a year.  
"Oh, Ricky, I missed you so much," replied Mindy as they released each other.  
"So, how have you been?"  
"Good, good."  
"That's great to hear. So, what have you planned for us?"  
"When I heard you paid your debt, I ran to the ocean and caught the biggest, fattest sea bass I could find for dinner."  
"Awesome."  
"As for now, we can go apple picking. Then we can go to the museum. Blathers just got a ton of new exhibits. Then we can go have a drink at the new café they added. After that, we can have dinner at my place."  
"Apple picking sounds cool."  
The two departed from the town gates.

Rick and Mindy spent nearly an hour picking apples. They could no longer carry any more. Rick had filled his pockets, however, he wasn't satisfied with how many he had. He lifted his shirt and began to use it as a makeshift basket.  
Mindy filled her pockets and was satisfied. "Damn, Rick," she said, "That's a lot of apples. Just make sure you save some room for the sea bass."  
"Will do," he replied.

Back at Mindy's house, they two put the apples in Mindy's refrigerator. "To the museum?" asked Mindy.  
"Alright," replied Rick. With that, the two left to the museum.

Blathers was sound asleep in the museum lobby. It was noon, but to an owl, that was midnight. Mindy decided against waking him up and headed to the paintings exhibit. Rick was amazed by the art which dotted the halls. Afterward, Mindy took Rick to the aquarium. He was hypnotized by the different species of fish which swam endlessly in the tanks. After the dinosaur and bug exhibits, Mindy took Rick to the café where they enjoyed Brewster's special blend of coffee. "I hope you're hungry," said Mindy as they departed the museum. Rick grinned. He knew precisely what Mindy was talking about.

Mindy had pre-cooked the fish for them. It awaited them in the oven. Rick sat at the table, nearly drooling. Mindy removed the fish from the oven and cut it to bite sized bits before serving it to Rick and herself. Rick and Mindy had received equal portions and began to dig into the scrumptious meal that Mindy had worked so hard to prepare.  
The sun grew lower in the sky by the time they had finished. Mindy wiped her mouth with a napkin. "Well, I'm stuffed," she said, despite the fact that she had barely eaten half of her meal.  
Rick had already eaten all of his. "Are you going to eat that?" he asked, feeling gluttonous.  
Mindy smiled and handed her plate to Rick. He quickly ate up the remaining fish.

Mindy stood and walked over to her window, "I can't believe how long it's been," she said as she watched the sun disappear out of view from her window.  
"That was some good fish," commented Rick.  
Mindy turned to Rick, "Hey, Ricky, want to go watch the sunset before you go home?" she asked.  
"Sure," he replied.

The two happily walked to the nearby beach where they sat in the sand and watched the sun sink below the horizon.  
"You've got to come visit me in Prosperville sometime," said Rick. "I know, it's been a while," replied Mindy.  
"Remember Nook's Cranny?"  
"That little shack?"  
"Now it's a full sized department store."  
"Wow. How about the Able Sisters?"  
"No change."  
"Oh."  
The dying sky turned to dusk as the sun departed into the sea.

The peace of the day's end was broken as footsteps approached. Rick turned to see Tortimer. "Mayor Tortimer, what are you doing here?" asked Rick.  
Tortimer's face boasted a serious expression. "Richard, I'm afraid tragedy has struck," replied the elderly tortoise. He seemed displeased to be the bearer of bad news, but he knew it must be delivered.  
"What happened? Has something happened to my mother?" asked Rick.  
"No, this isn't about your family."  
"What is it, then?"  
"Your house has been destroyed in a fire that consumed half the town."  
"Please, tell me there's a hidden camera somewhere."  
"I'm sorry boy, but you're not on television. Your home isn't the only victim. Nookington's, The Able Sister's, and several other homes have been leveled as well. Not to mention the citizens."  
"Did anyone survive?"  
"Thomas and Harriet escaped over the river with minor injuries. Everyone else was burned alive. Mabel, Sable, Timmy, Tommy, and everyone else living on the east side of the river. Dead."  
Rick immediately dashed off to the town gates, running as fast as he could.  
"Ricky!" cried Mindy as she ran after him.

Prosperville's gates burst open as Rick ran in. He ran across the stone bridge to see the home he worked so hard to achieve in ruin. Firemen and police officers scanned the area, looking for the source of the fire. He saw some body bags which made him uncomfortable. He wished he were dreaming, but he knew it was real. The once pretty landscape of his town was now charred and blackened. Debris from the once proud buildings littered the ground. Rick's face turned white as he fell unconscious.


	2. Chapter 2

Rick's eyes slowly opened. He was in a bed. "Thank God it was only a dream," he said. His eyes then scanned the room, "Wait… This isn't my house." Rick turned to the nightstand beside him. On it rested a picture of a woman with short, blond hair, "This is Mindy's mother. I must be in Mindy's house." He hopped from the bed and walked down the staircase.

In the living room sofa sat Mindy and Tortimer. "Richard, you're awake," commented Tortimer.  
Rick rubbed his eyes, "I take it--" "Yes," chimed Tortimer, "Every bit of that was real."  
"So, where am I going to live?"  
"That's why I'm here. It appears your home wasn't insured."  
"But I do have a bank account."  
"That's another thing we must discuss. While everyone was distracted by the fire, someone robbed the vault. I don't know what to tell you."  
Rick stood in total shock.  
Mindy stood and handed him a bag, "10,000 bells. I was going to use it on myself, but you need it more than I do." Rick accepted the bag, "Thank you. But this won't buy a house. When I first got my house, Nook charged me almost twice this."

Tortimer cleared his throat, "It wouldn't matter. Thomas has problems of his own right now. Nookington's was insured, but he likely won't benefit. The twins' parents are furious about their death and have filed lawsuit against him."  
"How am I going to get a house then?" asked Rick.  
"To my knowledge, Harriet is in the same situation you are. She might be of assistance to you."  
"Thanks," replied Rick as he dashed out the door.

Rick ran to the town gates. He rushed through the wilderness into Prosperville. He searched the town for her. After a few minutes, he spotted her near what was the Shampoodle. She cried as she navigated the debris. "Harriet?" asked Rick.  
"If you're here for a haircut, I can't help you," replied Harriet.  
"No, I'm not here for that. I understand you're looking for a house."  
"You understood correctly."  
"I'm looking for one as well, do you know where I might find an affordable one?"  
"Please, I can't even find an affordable house for me."  
Rick thought for a moment, "How much money do you have?"  
"About 15,000 bells. Why do you ask?"  
"I have 10,000. Maybe if we pool our money, we can find a house together."  
"And what? Be roommates?"  
"It's better than nothing."  
"I suppose, but only until I can get back on my feet again."  
"Agreed. Now, where were you looking?"  
"Together, we could afford a house in Ghettown. I hear it's a dump, but it's only until Nookington's is repaired."  
"Ghettown it is."


	3. Chapter 3

Back at Mindy's house, Rick argued with Mindy.  
"You're moving to Ghettown?" asked Mindy, almost disgusted.  
"I had no other choice," replied Rick, "Besides, what's so bad about it?"  
"It's probably the worst place you could live within hundreds of miles."  
"How so?"  
"For one, the houses are made of, quite literally, garbage."  
"Oh, you're just making this up."  
"No, I'm serious. The town is that poor. They just took whatever they could find on the ground and nailed it together. No foundations, no insulation, nothing."  
"You're making this up."  
"There are no fish whatsoever. The water is polluted beyond belief."  
"What else are you going to pull out of your butt for me?"  
"Ghettown once boasted a very large cigarette industry. The soil is so unfertile from all the years of tobacco farming, not even weeds can grow."  
"How would you even know that?"  
"I've researched it on the internet."  
"Any moron could have put that up there."  
"I've been there."  
"…Fair does."  
"Anyway, I have something for you," Mindy said as she pulled out a bag.  
"What is it?" asked Rick as he took the bag.  
"2,500 bells from the apples we picked yesterday."

Harriet entered the house and broke the coversation. "Richard, the taxi's here."  
Rick looked at Mindy, "Look, Mindy, I've got to go."  
Mindy looked down, "I don't agree with your decision, but I respect it."  
Rick and Mindy hugged one last time.  
"When will I see you again?" asked Mindy.  
"I don't want to lie to you," replied Rick, "I don't know if I'll ever see you again. I'm starting all over again from scratch."  
Mindy began to tear, "I love you."  
"I love you too," replied Rick, tearing as well.  
"I hate to break up this little farewell, but I don't want to keep the cab driver waiting," chimed Harriet, "You got your money, Richard?"  
"Yeah," replied Rick as Harriet led him out the door.

Outside waited a taxi. In the driver seat was a duck. Harriet opened the back door and entered. Rick followed before closing the door.  
"Ghettown, please," said Harriet to the driver.  
The driver didn't say anything. He just pressed on the gas with his orange flipper. And with that, Rick was off on a new adventure.

This reminded him of when he first left home. But he also wondered about the fire. At first he thought it was an accident. But he found it suspicious that the bank was robbed during the fire. He began to wonder if a crime was at work. However, he didn't worry too much about that. That's for the police force to do, not him.


	4. Chapter 4

It was about 6 o'clock when the taxi arrived at Ghettown. There was no gate like the other towns. It was just an arch of earth, supported by wooden beams. Rick was shocked to see what Mindy said to be true. The houses appeared to be made of excess materials. There were barely any buildings. Rick only saw a few houses and one large building which appeared to be town hall. The town hall looked like an actual building. It was almost as nice as Prospertown's town hall. The taxi came to a halt.  
"That'll be 500 bells," said the driver in a low voice.  
"Here," replied Harriet as she handed them to him.  
Rick opened the door and exited just before Harriet did the same.  
The taxi drove away.

Out of the large building came a middle-aged frog. He turned to Harriet, "You must be Harriet."  
Harriet looked at the frog, "Hello, Mayor Emmet."  
"Your house is down there," he replied, pointing at a house, "It'll cost you 20,000."  
Harriet handed him the money, "There you go."  
"Before I let you go," replied Mayor Emmet, "I wonder, what brings you to Ghettown?"  
"Our homes were destroyed in a fire," replied Harriet.  
"Sorry to hear that. But I'm glad to see some new faces. You two bring the population to seven."  
"Only seven?"  
"Yup. Even I'll admit it's a shit hole. At first, it wasn't all bad. But once that cigarette factory's tobacco farms sucked all the nutrients out of the dirt, we went broke. A riot formed and destroyed the factory along with every single house here. Only the town hall survived. We tried to rebuild, but we were so poor, we had to use what remained of the buildings. Wealthy citizens once lived here, but after the riot, only the truly desperate stayed. From that day forward, I prayed every night that the good lord would send people in to fix this town."  
"Oh, well, I happen to be a hair stylist--"  
"Ghettown has bigger problems than bad haircuts. Our river is so polluted, it doesn't even flow anymore. Anyway, I don't want to keep you here all day. You're free to go."

Rick and Harriet walked to the house. Their new home was just pieces of wood and scrap metal nailed together in random places. For a window, there was a rectangle cut in the wall.  
Harriet grabbed the doorknob, "It won't turn."  
Rick gently pushed the door, opening it.  
Inside was one bed. Above it was a shelf on which rested a lamp with no lampshade and a clock with no big hand. On the other side of the room was a stove and a sink. In front of them was a poorly made, one legged table with a radio atop and a fold-up chair.  
Harriet stared at her knew home for barely a second before she walked right out.  
Rick shrugged and sat on the bed.

Harriet barged into the town hall.  
"Can I help you, Harriet?" asked Emmet, sitting behind his desk.  
"Yeah, about my new house. There's one bed and no bathroom," replied Harriet.  
"Oh, the bathhouse is on the other side of town."  
"You mean to tell me I have to use public toilets for the rest of my residence?"  
"Either the bathhouse or the lake. Take your pick."  
Harriet sighed, "Well, how about the bed?"  
"Well, Joe comes by here on his pickup truck once a day to sell things. He's already gone today, but when he comes tomorrow around lunchtime, you can put in an order."  
"Another thing, how am I going to get lunch? There're no stores here."  
"If you got a fishing rod, you can try your luck at the beach. Or you can wait until Joe comes in tomorrow. He's always got groceries."  
"I don't have a fishing rod. So what am I going to do until Joe comes?"  
"I don't know what to tell you. But, listen, how about you go around town and make yourself acquainted with the citizens."  
"I just want to make it clear that I'm only living here until I make enough money to move back to Prosperville."  
"Good luck with that. You're going to need it in this town."  
Harriet exited with a sigh. As she walked home, she wondered if she would ever return to Prosperville. She was a bit prissy and hated Ghettown.

Harriet entered her house. "Looks like we're going hungry tonight," she said, "The main source of food here is a traveling salesman named Joe."  
"I stocked up on fruits before I left Prosperville," replied Rick.  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. You can have some."  
"Oh, Richard, thank you!"  
"Here you go," Rick said as he handed Harriet a pear.  
Harriet took a large bite from the succulent fruit. Her eyes closed as she chewed, enjoying every last bit of the pear's sweet innards. "I haven't had anything this sweet in days," she said after swallowing.

Rick sauntered to the radio which rested on the table. "By the way, while you were gone, I played around with the radio. It works. We get news, weather, music, everything."


	5. Chapter 5

Rick and Harriet talked for a while. It was getting late. Harriet had a full day and was ready to pass out. She rested under the covers of the bed and fell asleep. Rick looked at the clock. The big hand pointed at the nine. He figured someone in town would be awake. He left the house and decided to explore.

The nearest house rested by the beach. It was in much worse condition than Rick's. It had no windows nor did it have a door. In place of a door, there rested a large rectangle cut in the wall. Rick knocked on the wall beside it.  
A warm voice replied, "Come in."  
Rick did so.  
Inside the house was a female anteater. She wore, what appeared to be, a bunch of discarded rags sown together. "Oh, I don't believe we've met. I'm Annie."  
"I'm Rick," replied Rick, "I just moved in."  
"You did? Why?"  
"My house was burned to the ground."  
"Oh, that figures. Only the truly desperate come here."  
"Why, might I ask, are you here?"  
"Let's just say I was stabbed in the back."  
"So, what do you people do for entertainment around here?"  
"That's funny. There's nothing to do here. There's no fruit to pick. You can't go swimming. We have nothing here. The only reason people live here is because they can't live anywhere else."  
"Well, I'm going to go now. Nice meeting you, Annie."  
"Nice to meet you too, Rick."

Rick was beginning to feel like he was in a deep rut. But, unlike Harriet, he wasn't about to give up. He saw a light on the horizon, hope for the future.

Rick continued around town. He walked toward the bathhouse. There was another house not far from it. This house was a bit nicer than his. It looked like the builders actually cared about what it looked like. It had two windows, both with glass, and one door. Rick knocked on the door.  
"Who's here?" asked a voice from within.  
"I just moved in," replied Rick.  
The door opened and closed as an adult squirrel walked out.  
"What can I do you for?" asked the squirrel.  
"Nothing, I'm just making myself acquainted with the residents," replied Rick.  
"Oh. Well, I'm Mike. I would invite you in, but my son Jake is sleeping."  
"I'm Rick. I should be going, anyway."  
"Alright, see you, Rick."  
Rick decided he should probably be getting home. He knew Harriet was on the edge of sanity and probably shouldn't be left alone.

As he walked, he noticed a lone figure in the distance. The figure seemed to notice Rick and came closer. As it came into sight, it appeared to be a teenaged, female hedgehog.  
"I don't believe I know you," she said.  
"Oh, I'm Rick. I just moved in," replied Rick.  
"Hi, Rick. I'm April."  
"Hello, April."  
"What brings you to Ghettown?"  
"House fire."  
"Oh. That's tragic."  
"How about you?"  
"I was born here."  
"You've lived here your whole life?"  
"Yep. My granddaddy owned the cigarette industry here."  
"Where do you live?"  
"Up by the town gate. I should probably be getting home, now. My little brother's waiting for me."  
"Alright, nice to meet you."  
"Catch you later."

Rick walked home. The moon was full and radiant. It reflected the suns rays seemingly directly at Ghettown. It reminded Rick of his first night in Prosperville. He had acquainted himself with most of the residents. They all seemed like nice people. He wondered why no one made any effort to clean the town up. Soon, he was home. Harriet was fast asleep in the bed. Rick sat in the fold-up chair and closed his eyes to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Harriet awoke. It was about 10 o'clock in the morning. Rick was already awake. He offered her a peach.  
"Breakfast," he said.  
She accepted the peach and began eating.  
Rick had wondered this and wanted to ask her, "Hey, Harriet. Do you think it's a bit strange that the bank was robbed during the fire?"  
"Now that you mention it, that is a bit odd," replied Harriet after swallowing.  
"I think a crime is at work, here."  
"But who could steal the money?"  
"I don't know. Maybe someone who works there. Possibly Pelly."  
"Not Pelly. She loves her job. She wouldn't steal."  
"Maybe Phyllis?"  
"She was killed in the fire."  
"Do you think… Tortimer?"  
"He wouldn't need to set fire to the town just to steal. Besides, why would he rob himself?"  
"I suppose. Anyway, I'm going to go see Mayor Emmet."  
"Alright."  
Rick left the house and walked over to town hall.

Mayor Emmet was using his computer. He noticed Rick. "Hey, Rick. What's up?" he asked.  
"I was just wondering if there are any jobs around here I can do," replied Rick.  
"I don't got any jobs for you. There's nothing to be done here."  
"You know, the water is awfully polluted. Would you pay me to clean it up?"  
"We don't got any dump around here for miles. What do you intend to do with all of that garbage?"  
"I've noticed much of the pollution to be excess building materials, mainly wood. I also happen to have a shovel. I could make a compost heap. It may just get some nutrients back into the soil."  
"I didn't understand a word you just said."  
"Wood comes from trees. Trees are plants. Plants have cells. Cells have nutrients. When wood decomposes in dirt, the soil absorbs the nutrients so more plants can grow."  
"So you're saying that you can make things grow again?"  
"It's a definite possibility that I can."  
"Rick, if you can get plants to grow here again, I will pay you triple what you gave me for the house."  
"You can count on me."  
With that statement, Rick exited town hall and pulled his net out of his pocket.

He ran to the river with a sense of determination. He stuck his net in the water before pulling it up. It was filled with rotten, decaying wood. He continued until his pockets were filled with wood. He ran to the back of town hall and took his shovel out. He buried all of the wood in the dead dirt. He ran back to the river and filled his pockets again. The river was beginning to flow, but was still backed up by the remaining waste.

By this time, a pickup truck drove into town. Rick assumed this to be Joe. An overweight rooster exited the truck. In the back were various items. Rick walked over to the rooster.  
"Anything look interesting?" asked Joe.  
"Got any beds?" asked Rick.  
"I got a sofa."  
"Alright, how much?"  
"250 bells."  
"Alright, I'll take it."  
Joe hopped onto the back and grabbed the sofa. It transformed into a small leaf-shaped object. He handed it to Rick.  
"Anything else?" asked Joe.  
"Yeah, got any groceries?" replied Rick.  
"Sure, how does this interest you?" he said, holding a bag filled with assorted vegetables. On the bag was labeled, STIR FRY.  
"I'll take it," said Rick as he took the bag.  
"That it?"  
"Yup."  
"320 bells altogether."  
"Thanks," said Rick as he handed Joe the money.  
Rick decided to continue cleaning the river. He headed back to where he had last been cleaning and shoved his net in the water.

Eventually, Mike showed up with a young squirrel whom Rick assumed to be Jake. "What are you doing?" asked Mike.  
"Cleaning the river," replied Rick.  
"You sure do care a lot about this town, considering you've only been here a day."  
"Well, it's about time somebody made an effort to clean it up."  
Mike smiled, "I like your enthusiasm. Jake, go to Joe and ask him for a net," he said as he handed his son some money.

In a minute, Jake returned with a net. Mike accepted it and shoved it in the water. After a while, Rick and Mike had filled their pockets.  
"What do we do with all of this wood?" asked Mike.  
"Bury it," replied Rick.  
"Bury it?"  
"Yup. It'll decompose into nutrients that the soil will absorb, making it fertile."  
"You got a good head on your shoulders, Rick."  
Rick smiled at the compliment as he lead the squirrels to where he had buried the wood.


	7. Chapter 7

Rick, Mike, and Jake had cleared out much of the river. The water was now clear and healthy. However, the lake remained polluted. It was now night. Rick decided to call it a day. He was filthy, so he decided to go to the bathhouse to bathe.

After his shower, he put his clothes back on and exited, only to see Mike outside. "Hey Mike, what's up?" asked Rick.  
"I've invited your wife over to my house. Would you like to join us?" replied Mike.  
"Harriet is not my wife."  
"Don't be embarrassed. There's nothing wrong with interspecies--"  
"She's not my wife!"  
"Why do you live together?"  
"It's only temporary."  
"Alright. Anyway, you're invited, too."  
"OK."  
Rick accepted the invitation and followed Mike to his house.

Rick had never seen the interior of Mike's house before. It was nice. Well, nice for Ghettown, anyway. It had two rooms. The first room had a sofa, a television, a dining table, four chairs, a stove, a refrigerator, and a sink. The second room had two beds, a nightstand, a radio, and a dresser. Harriet and Jake sat on the sofa. They were watching the news.  
"Rick, Prosperville's on TV!" said Harriet.

On the television, a female bird wearing a suit was interviewing Tortimer.  
"So, Mayor Tortimer, do you have anything to say about this tragedy?" asked the bird.  
"Ordinarily, I would think this to be a simple accident. However, it seems the bank was robbed while everyone was distracted. I'm not one for accusations, but I believe there to be a crime at work," replied Tortimer  
"What do you plan to do?"  
"I am to speak to the guards. Any nonresidents who entered town before the fire will be interrogated."  
The news cut to commercial.

"So we're not the only ones who think the fire was just a distraction," said Harriet.  
"I hope they catch whoever did it," added Rick.  
"I'm sure they will," said Mike, "But let's not worry about that. Can I get you anything?"  
"Some water please," said Harriet.  
"Sure," replied Mike as he took a pitcher of water out of his refrigerator and poured it into a glass before handing it to Harriet.  
"Thanks," said Harriet before taking a sip.  
"So, Mike, how did you end up here?" asked Rick.  
"After my wife died, I was inconsolable. I considered suicide, but then I met a psychic named Katrina. She said she'd help me along the path to recovery. I took her offer. She swindled me out of my home. I had nowhere else to go," replied Mike.

Rick, Mike, Harriet, and Jake continued talking. After a while, Rick and Harriet returned home for the night.


	8. Chapter 8

Rick slept in the fold-up chair again that night. He awoke to a crash of thunder. He looked at the clock. It was seven o' clock A.M. The sky was dark. Harriet was sound asleep. Rick began to fiddle with the radio. He couldn't find a clear station. He stood and peered out the window. The harsh wind whipped around the rain. Fortunately, the wind was blowing in the direction he looked, so the window stayed relatively dry. "Looks like we're stuck inside," he said.

Meanwhile, Mindy had just woken up. Sanctuary was experiencing the same weather. She brushed her almost yellow hair out of her face as she stood from her bed. She turned on her television to see the weather. The forecast predicted the rain would let up at dusk. When the map projection came up, Ghettown was shown to also be under the big red spot, which symbolized the storm. At that moment, Mindy thought of Rick. She wondered how he was doing in his new home. She wanted desperately to speak to him again. But no postal services delivered to Ghettown anymore. Ghettown was a forgotten town. Only those who were truly screwed ended up there. And Rick was now one of them.

Mindy walked downstairs to make breakfast. Before the pantry door was open, there was a knock at the door. Mindy opened to see her good friend Lily, the frog. "Hi, may I come in?" asked Lily.  
"Of course," replied Mindy as she walked over to the dining table. She sat down.  
Lily sat in the seat across from her, "Mindy, we need to talk."  
"About what?"  
"You. You haven't left your house since Rick moved away."  
Mindy looked down, acknowledging what Lily was saying.  
"This isn't healthy," continued Lily.  
"I know. I've just been worried."  
"That's natural. I'd be worried if you moved to the armpit of the country."  
"I worry constantly. What if he was mugged? What if he was robbed? What if--"  
"Mindy, calm down. I'm sure Rick is fine."  
"You don't know that."  
"I do know one thing. You shouldn't do nothing but worry all the time. You're going to become neurotic if you don't leave your home. Rick is going through a hard time right now and he needs you to be strong."  
"I suppose…"  
"It's OK to worry, but don't waste your life worrying. Besides, who knows? He might just come back someday. Just be positive."  
Mindy looked up, "You're right."  
"I should probably be going now," said Lily as she stood up and walked to the door, "Remember what I said: be positive," she continued before exiting Mindy's house.

Mindy looked in the direction of Ghettown when the door closed. Somehow, she knew Rick was surviving. She knew Rick. She knew he wouldn't let a bad town get him down.


	9. Chapter 9

It was night. The rain had ceased in Ghettown, but the dark storm clouds still loomed in the sky. Harriet and Rick had just finished eating the stir fry Rick bought. "This bed is so uncomfortable," said Harriet, "I wish there was some more furniture in this place."  
That reminded Rick of something, "Oh, yeah, I bought a couch!"  
"You wait until now to tell me this?"  
"I forgot."  
"Whatever, just show me the couch."  
Rick reached in his pocket and pulled out a leaf-shaped object. He tossed it on the floor as it became a couch in a cloud of smoke. It was in decent condition.  
Harriet plopped on the couch. "Comfy," she commented before putting her hands behind her head to relax.  
"I'll be back in a few minutes," said Rick.  
"I'll be right here," replied Harriet.

Rick walked. He was on his way to the bathhouse. On his way, he noticed Mike and April at the lakefront. Behind them was a huge pile of wood, soaked with water. Rick hurried to the sight. They both had the lake almost clean.  
"Have you two been working on this all day?" asked Rick.  
"Yup," replied Mike.  
"That was a great idea you had," commented April.  
"Thanks. But over the years, not a single person has ever considered making an attempt to clean the place up?" asked Rick.  
"No one ever bothered to do anything," said April, "Everyone who still had enough money after the riot moved out. Everyone just wanted to forget. But you can never forget the past. The past will always be there. That's why you have to work for a good future."  
"I hear that," replied Mike, "I almost let my past end my life, but now I'm actually glad it didn't. If we can get plants to grow here again, Ghettown may actually be appealing for once."  
"Yeah," replied April, "If we can grow plants, we can sell produce. And when we make enough money, we can fix all the houses. Then, people might want to move here!"  
"And it'll all be thanks to you, Rick," added Mike.  
"Thanks, but I don't really think I deserve any thanks," said Rick.  
"Why so modest?" asked Mike.  
"Well, to be honest, I'm doing all this because Mayor Emmet said he would pay me 60,000 bells if I could get plants to grow here. That'll be enough for me to move back to my old town," replied Rick.  
"Rick, I don't care if you were put up to it by the devil himself. If it benefits me and my son, you have my thanks," said Mike.  
"Well, we should probably get to work on burying this wood," said Rick.

The three filled their pockets with the wood and buried it near town hall. The spot where the wood had been buried last time was beginning to turn a darker shade of brown. Rick's plan was beginning to work.

Rick returned home, not before using the bathhouse, to find Harriet sound asleep on the couch. The news was on the radio. A voice spoke, "…Police are currently investigating the robbery of the bank in Prosperville." That's all Rick heard of the news before it cut to advertisements. It was about eleven o' clock P.M. Rick decided he should get some rest.


	10. Chapter 10

Six months had passed since Rick had finally cleaned up the water of Ghettown with Mike and April. The river now flowed freely into the ocean. Harriet had finally come out of her shell and adjust to life in Ghettown.

Rick, Mike, and April stood over the much more fertile dirt behind the town hall. Rick's brown hair was now much longer. He combed it to the side to keep it from his eyes. Mike leaned over the soil, "Do ya'll think it's ready for planting?"  
"Not yet," replied April, "Wood takes a really long time to break down. It'll be months, maybe years before it's all completely decomposed."  
"That wood was sitting in the water for several years. What hadn't already rotted away in the water was about ready to melt by the time we buried it," contradicted Rick.  
"Well how many nutrients could've been left when we got to it?" asked April.  
"I don't know. My plan was to try whatever was possible and hope for the best," replied Rick.  
"Calm down," interrupted Mike, "How about this: we get Joe to give us some seeds; but something that'll grow fast. If they grow, then we've succeeded."  
"I suppose," said April.

Meanwhile, Prosperville was beginning to rebuild. New buildings were being erected. Construction workers were abundant. Tortimer stood in the midst of it all to oversee the construction. Even Nookington's was being rebuilt.

Suddenly, Tom Nook appeared from the distance. He had returned to Prosperville. "Thomas, good to see you!" exclaimed Tortimer, "Your shop is almost rebuilt."  
"I apologize, but I'm not here to stay," replied Tom.  
"Why's that?"  
"I had to put my insurance money into bail. I couldn't spend one more day in that God forsaken prison."  
"How bad was it?"  
"Well, now I know what people mean when they say, 'Don't drop the soap.'"  
"I don't understand."  
"You don't want to."  
"Oh, something nasty, huh?"  
"Never mind that! Time is short, where is Harriet?"  
"I believe she is living in Ghettown now."  
"Ghettown? That place is real?"  
"Yup. She's been living there about half a year now."  
"Can you get me directions?"  
"What are you all worked up for?"  
"I need evidence that Timmy and Tommy were outside of my reach by the time the fire had gotten to Nookington's. Harriet was with me nearly all day. She may just be my ticket to freedom."  
"In that case, follow me to town hall. Make haste!"


	11. Chapter 11

Dark clouds began to loom in the sky. Rick, Mike, and April stood in front of Joe, who had just exited his truck. "Seeds? What do you need seeds for?" asked Joe.  
"We're performing an experiment," replied Rick, "Do you have any seeds or not?"  
"Well… no."  
"You don't have anything we can put in the ground and make more of?".  
"Well, I have some green beans, but someone special ordered them."  
"Who?"  
"That anteater lady who lives here."  
"This is very important, I'll pay you 500 bells for them."  
"500? OK," answered Joe as he handed Rick a burlap sack full of green beans.  
"Come on, let's go bury them!" commanded Rick as he lead Mike and April away from Joe's pickup truck.  
"I don't think that was right," said April "Those were Annie's green beans…"  
"She'll be fine," replied Mike.

Back at the pickup truck, a figure came into view from the distance. It was Annie. "Hello, Joe," she said as she came to a halt, "You got those green beans I wanted? I haven't eaten in two days."  
"Yeah, uh… I um… I lost them," replied Joe.  
"I'm so hungry…" said Annie as she turned around and walked home.

Rick took his shovel in hand and dug a several holes in the fertile area. April and Mike began dispersing the beans in the holes. After they had used them all up, Rick filled in the holes. "How long do beans take to grow?" asked April.  
"Not long," replied Mike, "They should sprout in a few days at most."  
"Awesome," said Rick.

Thunder crashed in the distance. Rain began to pelt down on Ghettown. "Let's go to my house," suggested Rick, wanting to get out of the rain.  
"Alright," replied Mike as he followed Rick home.  
April followed without words.

Harriet was sitting on the couch while listening to jazz music. Suddenly, the door opened as Rick, Mike, and April entered. "Hello," said Harriet.  
"Hey," replied Rick as he sat down next to Harriet.  
April sat in the fold-up chair while Mike preferred to stand.

"Get anything done today?" asked Harriet.  
"We planted some beans," replied Rick, "If our plan worked, we'll know before the week is up."  
"When you planted them, did you consider what season it was? Jingle will be arriving soon."  
"It's still pretty warm out."  
"Not really. It's sixty degrees Fahrenheit."  
"That's warm enough. Beans grow very quickly. If we could get them to at least sprout, we will have proven plants to still be able to grow."  
"I hope you're right, Rick. Because if you're not, we're screwed."  
April spoke up, "Hey, Rick?"  
"Yeah?" asked Rick.  
"If this does work and you go home, will you promise me you'll come back and visit?"  
"You have my word."  
"Don't expect Ghettown to be the same when you get back," interrupted Mike.  
"What do you mean?" replied Rick.  
"The river's clean now. And if plants start growing again, this town will be appealing again. People will move in. The town will get more money. Money we can use to rebuild."  
Rick had heard this said numerous times. But now he was really beginning to think about what it meant. He may have just revived Ghettown. However, his primary objective was still to return home.


	12. Chapter 12

Rick, Harriet, April, and Mike were still talking in Rick's house. "Well," said Mike, "It's getting late. I'd best get back home to Jake."  
"Yeah," added April, "Alex is probably wondering where I am. But that's a little brother for you. See you later."  
"Bye," said Rick to April and Mike as they departed into the night.

Harriet rose to her feet before plopping on the bed, just a few steps away. The clock above had its small hand on the six and its large hand on the three. "I'm tired," commented Harriet as she pulled the covers over herself, "I'm going to get some rest."

Rick was pouring himself a glass of water when an earsplitting crash made both he and Harriet jump. "What the hell was that?" said Harriet, petrified.  
"It didn't sound like thunder," replied Rick, "I'm going to go check it out."

Rick dashed out of his house and ran to the town gate where the crash had come from. A car struck right into the side of Joe's truck. Whoever was driving probably didn't expect another vehicle to be parked right in front of the town gate. Joe was standing mere feet away from the crash, beak agape. Finally, he fell to his knees and put his wings to the sides of his head, "My… truck!"

April and Mike came from the distance to check it out as well. April's brother, Alex and Mike's son, Jake followed behind them. "What happened here?" asked Mike.  
"I was just about to drive back to my warehouse when this dumbass comes out of nowhere and totals my truck!"  
"Oh my God," commented April.

The driver door of the other car flew open. Out came Tom Nook. Joe glared at the disheveled raccoon. In the blink of an eye, the enraged rooster had Tom by the throat. "Look what you did, you son of a bitch!"  
Tom struggled for breath, "I'm-ack-sorry," he managed to choke out, but his words were slurry and barely intelligible.  
"Not as sorry as you're about to be!" replied Joe as he pulled a handgun out of his pocket and shoved the barrel into Tom's mouth, still holding him by the throat with his other wing.  
"Stop it, you lunatic!" yelled Mike as he ran up behind Joe and tried to pry his wings away from Tom.

The entire time, Rick had been trying to remember why this raccoon looked so familiar. Suddenly, it came to him. He was looking at the owner of Nookington's Department Store from Prosperville. Rick dashed right up to Joe and punched him in the side of the beak with every ounce of strength in his body. Joe's head twisted to the side as a bit of blood escaped. His wings lost hold of Tom's body. Joe lay on his side, semi-conscious. His gun a few feet in front of him.

"Tom!" exclaimed Rick as he gave the raccoon a tight hug.  
Tom didn't recognize Rick immediately, "I missed you too… Who are you again?"  
Rick released Tom and gave him a puzzled expression, "It's me, Rick!"  
"Oh! Richard, good to see you again!" exclaimed Tom, "This is Ghettown, right?"  
"That it is. Speaking of which, what brings you here?"  
"I need Harriet. It's an emergency."  
"Follow me."  
Rick lead Tom back to his house. April, Alex, Mike, and Jake stayed put. Mike examined Joe's body to check if he was breathing.

Harriet was barely awake when the door flung open. Harriet jumped. Immediately, she squinted her eyes, "Tom? Tom Nook? Is that you?"  
Tom replied with a grin.  
Harriet leapt out of bed and gave her superior a hug. She was almost crying over his shoulder, "You came back for me…"  
"Harriet, this is serious," replied Tom as he was released from Harriet's hold.  
"What's wrong now?"  
"The trial. I need you to come to court with me. They're going to ask you questions about what happened on the day of the fire."  
"OK. When are we leaving?"  
"Now."  
"Are you sure your car will still work?" asked Rick.  
"The crash wasn't that bad. But that's why we have bumpers," replied Tom, "Come on, Harriet, we have to go."  
Tom lead Harriet out of the house. Before Harriet let the door close, she turned to Rick, "Thank you." With that said, she departed.

Rick now alone. But not lonely. He still had April and Mike. Each of whom he knew for the past six months. At this point, even if his plan failed, he would still survive.


	13. Chapter 13

Rick awoke from his first night in the bed. Suddenly, the door burst open. It was Alex and Jake. "Rick! Rick!" cried Alex, "Come see!" Alex ran out the door. Jake quickly followed behind.

Rick jumped out of bed and ran behind the two young ones. Eventually, he came to the fertile spot. Mike and April were standing over a bunch of sprouts coming out of the ground. "What's this?" asked Rick?  
"It's the green beans," replied Mike, "It's the end of November, so they probably won't last long, but they grew."  
"This is awesome!" yelled Rick as he ran around the town hall and opened the door.

Mayor Emmet was inside, reading a book. Rick grabbed him by the arm and pulled him outside. "What the hell is going on?" asked Emmet.  
Rick showed him the bean sprouts.  
"What is that?" asked Emmet.  
"Green beans. They grew," replied Rick.  
"You mean… You actually got something to grow?"  
"I told you I would."  
"I know, but in all honesty, I didn't believe you."  
"Well, that doesn't matter now. It's been done."  
"Boy, this is the greatest thing that's ever happened. But I must hold my end of the bargain. You got plants to grow, so I'm giving you 60,000 bells. Come with me."  
Emmet lead Rick into the town hall.

Inside, Emmet opened up a safe, "I've been saving this money all my life. But now it doesn't matter. You've just given me a gold mine."  
Rick accepted the money, "Thanks," he said before running back out to the others.

Outside, Mike and April smiled with pride.  
"Well, all I need is some transportation and I can get home. Is Joe's truck still blocking the gate?" asked Rick.  
"We moved his truck out of the way last night," replied Mike.  
"Where's Joe?"  
"He walked back to his warehouse."  
"Alright, let me call a taxi."

Rick used Emmet's phone to call a taxi. About an hour later, a cab was waiting for him at the gate. It began to rain. Rick got into the passenger seat. He waved goodbye to his friends as the driver drove off.

"Where ya headed?" asked the driver, a mouse.  
"Prosperville," replied Rick.  
"Alright."  
The driver turned on the radio. It was right in the middle of a news broadcast. A voice spoke, "…upon further investigation, the police have finally found the burglars of the bank as well as the starters of the fire to be Redd and Lyle, who have a criminal record of selling phony paintings and insurance. Their sentence is estimated to range anywhere from thirty years to life, for robbery and manslaughter. Every last bell has been returned to Prosperville."  
Rick smiled in relief. He then turned to the driver, "Actually, drive me to Sanctuary."  
"No prob," replied the driver.

Rick was on his way home.


	14. Chapter 14

It was noon when the cab pulled into Prosperville. Rick handed the driver the taxi fare. Rick walked until he came to Mindy's house. He hadn't seen her since early June. Now it was late November. He saw a girl with long, blond hair watering flowers in front of Mindy's house. It was Mindy. Rick stopped and looked at Mindy, waiting for her to notice him. She turned and squinted, "Can I help you?"  
"Yeah, I'm looking for a blond girl named Mindy," replied Rick, playing along.  
Mindy stood, "That's me. And you are?" Mindy didn't recognize Rick. Last she had seen him, his hair was short. Now it was long and shaggy. In addition, he had lost a noticeable amount of weight during his time in Ghettown.  
"I'm just a simple boy from Ghettown."  
Mindy leapt at Rick and squeezed him in the tightest hug she had ever given, "Oh, Ricky, I missed you so much!" she cried out as tears escaped from her eyes.  
"I missed you too."  
"I didn't recognize you. You're so skinny and your hair is so long!"  
"Yeah, I got to get Harriet to cut it."  
"Actually, I kind of like it."  
"Then it stays," said Rick, chuckling.  
"So how was Ghettown?"  
"At first it was awful, but I got used to it."  
"That's good."  
Suddenly, Tortimer appeared behind Rick, "Ah, young Richard."  
Rick turned and saw Tortimer, "Mayor! Good to see you! You didn't have trouble recognizing me?"  
"I'd recognize that strong, young voice anywhere," replied Tortimer.  
"How's Prosperville?"  
"We caught the criminals and all the money is back. We haven't started blueprinting your house yet. Perhaps you'd like to help us?"  
"Absolutely."  
"You'll be living in your own home again in no time at all."  
"Tortimer, are there any homes neighboring where Ricky's will be?" asked Mindy.  
"I don't believe so, why do you ask?" replied Tortimer.  
"Because I'd like to move to Prosperville."  
"And be my neighbor?" asked Rick.  
"If that's not too much of a problem," replied Mindy.  
"Not at all," commented Rick.

And so ends Rick's little adventure. Rick and Mindy were living next door to each other in Prosperville by Christmas. They couldn't be happier.

Redd and Lyle were given a life sentence with no possibility of parole. They also both learned why not to drop the soap.

Tom Nook, with the help of his coworker Harriet, won the case and was able to return to Nookington's Department Store in Prosperville. Business was booming.

Mayor Tortimer returned to his boring life of sleeping in the town hall while Pelly and Phyllis did everything.

Ghettown's soil turned fertile again. People began to move in. With all the money Mayor Emmet made, he began to fix up the houses. Mike became president of the homeowner's association, with April as vice president. Joe got his truck fixed, but decided to settle in Ghettown, running his own store. Ghettown is now on its way back to glory.

Rick did eventually go back and visit Ghettown, Not without Mindy, of course. Mindy nearly fell unconscious, having seen what six months of Rick in Ghettown did.

All was well.


End file.
